Pipe-placing machine



Sept. I 10, 1929.

o. J. SCHLES-INGER PIPE PLACING MACHINE Filed flct. 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Se t. 10, 1929. o. J. SCHLESINGER PIPE PLACING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill,

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O. J. SCHLESINGER PIPE PLACING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, me

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LISC7LZQS/0'I eff I Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES OTTO J". SCI-ILESINGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' v i PIPE-PLACING MACHINE.

Application filed October 17, 1928. Serial No. 313,036.

This invention relates to improvements in pipe placing machines.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for forcing I pipe, such as pipe conduits for electric conductors, through the ground to avoid opening a trench the full length of the pipe to be laid.

It frequently is necessary to lay such pipes under pavements and to avoid opening up the pavements or digging a tunnel thereunder to receive the pipes, the present improved machine can be employed for pushing the pipes through the soil beneath the pavements from a short trench into which the bed of the l pushing mechanism is placed. Not only does the use of the improvements avoid the expense of making an open trench and the expense incident to the repairing of the pavement and the inconvenience caused the public by the temporary closing of the street, but the machine enables thepipe to be placed in much less time than where such other methods are employed.

It will be understood that the machine is not limited to the placing of pipes under pavements, but where pipes mustbe so placed the apparatus has distinct advantages over prior methods.

A further object of the invention relates to the novel arrangement of power multiplying;

pulleys or sheaves within the bed member. Another object relates to the provision of means whereby the slide or pipe pushing member can be quickly retracted'to receive another length of pipe, such retraction being effected by means of the hoisting cablewhich is otherwise used for elevating the entire bed mechanism whenthe apparatus is to be transported.

Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby the pipe being pushed into the earth is so disposed as to avoid causing the reciprocal pushing member to bind with its guides.

Other objects ment of parts which will be apparent froma consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the invention relate to various features of costruction and arrange embodying the'present improvements which are shown inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bed member.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. p I

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the'bed taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. 1

In Fig. 1 of the drawings,the apparatus is shown in connection with a tractor which is indicated generally by the numeral 10. Other power mechanism may be employed in connection with the improvements within the scope of thepresent invention. The tractor asshown is provided with a boom 11 which may consist of twomembers each secured in any suitable manner adjacent the rear of the tractor and supporting a sheaveor pulley 12 at its upper forward end. Intermediate the ends of the boom member brackets 13 are provided in which are journalled rollers 14 which rest in the channel of an inverted U-shaped standard 15, the lower ends of which may be secured on the front axle of the'tractor. This arrangement permits the standard 15 tomove relatively to the boom as the-tractor is moved along the highway, without imposing side stresses on the boom due to the unevenness of the highway. Mounted on the forward end of the tractor'lO are two winding drums indicated generally by the numerals 16 and 17 which are operated by power from the tractor engine by any suitable power take-off mechanism, not shown. i

Pivoted to the lower portion of the wind ing drum casing or other suitable portion of the tractor structure, are two'beams18 which, 0 at their forward ends are pivoted to therear end of the bed 19. The bed 19 preferably consists of a pair of facing channel members 20, as'shown in Figs. 2-6, inclusive. Secured to the forward end of the channel members 20 is a header 21 comprising a front vertical wall 22 and a number of longitudinally extended vertical spaced walls or partitions 23. These partitions 23, as shown in Fig. 2, are arranged in two groups of three partitions each,

and between the groups in the lower portion of the member 21 is a horizontal partition 24 parallel with the base 25 between which members is secured a pulley 25*.

In the compartments defined by the several partitions 23 are journalled sheaves 26-26 and 27-27. The header 21, as shown in Fig. 4, is disposed between the horizontal flanges of the bed members and is secured in position by welding or riveting or by other approved means. The horizontal partition 24 extends between the two intermediate partitions 23, as shown in Fig. 4, the upper central portion of the rear wall 22 of the header being cut away, as shown at 28 to provide a guiding passage for the pipe 29 to be placed. A slider or pushing member 30 is confined and guided in the bed 19 by the channel members 20, as shown in Fig. 5, the member having longitudinal spacing ribs 30 which bear against the channel members.

The pipe pusher 30 is provided with a cup 31 in itsforward face which forms a socket for receiving the rear end of a pipe 29 which is to be pushed through the guide opening 28 in the plate 22. The cup has an extension 31*" which projects through an opening in the plate 30 and is removably secured in position by a nut 31. Cups of different sizes may be employed for accommodating pipes of different diameters.

Extending rearwardly of the pusher plate 30 are spaced vertical partitions 32, which are secured to the horizontal partition 33. In the spaces between the several partitions 32 are journalled sheaves 34, 34:, 35, 35 and the intermediate pulley 36. i

V The rear end of the bed 19 is closed by an abutment plate 37 which is secured to the outer faces of the channel member 20 and is extended upwardly as shown to provide a rel- I atively large area which abuts the end of the hole or trench in which the apparatus is placed as illustrated in Fig. 1. Secured to the inner surface of the plate 37, which is extended rearwardly to form the bottom 37, are several partitions 38 in which are journalled sheaves 39-39 and intermediate pulley 40. It will be noted that there are four such pulleys 39arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 3.

The slide or pusher member 30 is moved along the bed bymeans of'cables 41 and 42 which extend from the winding drum 17. As a matter of convenience a single cable may be used, the runs thereof extending to the said drum in lieu of two cables. deferring to Fig. 2, a run 41 passes from the drum 17 around the upper sheave 39, downwardly around and under the correspondinglower sheave 39, thence along the bottom of the bed around the sheave 27, thence over and down around the sheave 35 of the slider, thence under and over sheave 26, thence over and around. sheave '34,. to the horizontal pulley 25 thence around the corresponding pulleys of the header 21, and slide 30, to the other pair of pulleys 39, and thence as run 42 to the winding drum.

As the drum 17 is rotated to take in the cable, the slide or pusher member 30 moves to the left slowly as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, forcing the pipe 29 into the soil in a direction parallel with the bed. The first pipe section 39 is provided with a pointed cap 43. As one section is pressed into the ground the full stroke of the slider 30, the cable is released by the drum, the slider retracted, another pipe section connected to the end of the first pipe section, and the cable again taken in byv the drum to force the two sections of the pipe into the earth. This is repeated up to the maximum capacity of the apparatus. "If it is desired to run a longer line of pipe than can be placed from the single position 'of the apparatus, a second trench may be made at the forward endv of the pipe already placed, and additional sections positioned thereafter connecting the two sections thus forming a continuous pipe line.

After each pushing operation, as above mentioned, the slider 30 must be retracted to receive another pipe section, and to accomplish this retraction I employ a cable 44 which is secured around the central pulley 36, which passes around the pulley 40. as shown in Fig. 2. The free end of thecable 4% may be provided with an eye 45, a hook or a loop with which the hook 46 of the hoisting cable 47 may be engaged. By rotatingthe drum 16 in a direction to take up the cable 47 the slide 30 can readily be retracted.

When it is desired to move the apparatus the hook i6 is engaged in the eye 48 of the plate 30 and the bed 19 and beams 18 raised as indicated to the dotted line position in Fig. 1. To avoid slipping of the slide 30 along the bed during the raising and supporting of the latter in position for transportation, a suitable wood block, not shown, may be inserted in the bed between the slider 30 and the left end of the bed as will be apparent. By use of the power multiplying sheaves above described, the apparatus is capable of forcing a remarkably long pipe line through the ground, the only digging required being the opening of a trench of a length capable of receiving the bed 19. By employing the double run cable the slider 30 is moved uniformcessive winding of one run 41 or 42 with reference to the other. The slide thus moves smoothly along the bed without any tendency to push the pipe into the soil at an angle to the longitudinal center of the bed 19. It will be seen also, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, that the pipe 29 is disposed in the horizontal plane of the axis of the sheaves 3a and 35, which arrangement produces no tendency of the pushing member to bind with the sides or flanges of the channel members 20.

Although I have shown and described certain features of my improvements for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent that detail changes-in the construction of the apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described com prising a bed having longitudinally flanged side members, front and rear end members secured to said side members, a slidable pipe pushing member guided by said flanges, the forward end member and said slidable mem her having spaced parallel partitions forming sheave supports, sheaves mounted therebetween, a sheave carried by said rear end member, a cable passing around said sheaves, and mechanism for winding up said cable to cause said slidable member to move along said bed.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a bed having longitudinally flanged side members, front. and rear end members secured to said side members, a slidable pipe pushing member guided by said flanges, the forward end member and said slidable member having spaced parallel partitions formingsheave supports, sheaves mounted therebetween, a sheave carried by said rear end men'iber, a cable passing around said sheaves, and mechanism for winding up said cable to cause said slidable member to move along said bed, said front end member having a pipe guiding recess therein and said slidable member having a pipe socket for receiving one end of a pipe to be placed.

3. Pipe pushing apparatus comprising a cable winding apparatus, a bed member adapted to be placed in a trench, said member comprising a pair of longitudinal channel members having their flanges directed inwardly, a reciprocal pipe pushing member guided longitudinally of said bed by said flanges, a plurality of sheaves carried by said pushing member, a plate at each end of said bed secured to said channel members, sheaves carried by said plates, and a cable passed around one of said end sheaves at the middle of its effective length and having its halves passed over said other sheaves and thence to said winding apparatus.

l. Pipe pushing apparatus comprising a bed, a cable winding mechanism, a pipe pushing member ,movable longitudinally thereof, sheaves carried by said member and additional sheavespositioned adjacent each end of said bed forming two sets of sheaves, another sheave at one end of said bed, and a cable passed around said last named sheave at the middle oftits effective length, each half of said cable being passed around the sheaves of one set of sheaves and thence to said winding mechanism.

5. Pipe placing apparatus comprising in combination, a cable winding mechanism, a

bed, a pipe pushing memberslidable longitudinally thereof, said member having two groups of sheaves,-two groups of sheaves at each end of said bed, one of each of said groups comprising a set, said sets being spaced from the longitudinal center of said bed, to provide space at one end for the pipe to be placed and at the other end space for a retracting cable, an anchoring sheave at the forward end of said bed, a cable passed around said sheave at the middle of its effective length and having each half passed over the sheaves of one set and thence to said cable winding mechanism whereby said pushing member can be moved toward the forward end of said bed, the front end of said member having a pipe socket for receiving the rear end of a pipe to be placed, said bed having an end recessed to cooperate with said socket in guiding said pipe, a sheave centrally disposed at the rear end of said bed, and a cable passing over the same from a power winding mechanism into engagement with said pushing member for retracting the latter.

6. Pipe placing mechanism comprising a cable winding mechanism, a bed, a pipe pushing member movable longitudinally thereof, sheaves carried by said member, other sheaves supported by said bed, a cable anchoring member at the forward end of said bed and a cable passed around the same at the middle of its effective length and having its halves passed around other of said sheaves and thence to said winding mechanism, said anchoring member comprising a sheave whereby said cable is self adjusting for equalizing the strains upon the runs thereof.

7. Pipe placing mechanism comprising a winding appa'atus, a bed, a pipe pushing member slidable longitudinally thereof, said member having a base and a front wall and 'rearwardly extending spaced partitions,

sheaves disposed between adjacent partitions and supported by the same, said front wall having openings for the passage of a cable to and from said sheaves, said bed having a front end member having a recessed front wall, rearwardly extending lateral vertical partitions and a pair of horizontal walls, a horizontally disposed sheave journaled in said horizontal walls, sheaves between said vertical partitions, additional sheaves at the forward end ofisaid'bed, a cable passed around said horizontal sheave at the middle of its effective length and having its halves threaded over certain of said other sheaves and passed thence to said Winding apparatus and a pipe socket on the front face of the front Wall of said pushing member arranged in the horizontal plane of the axis of the sheaves carried by said member, said recess in said front Wall 01": the forward end mem-' ber cooperating with said socket in guiding the pipe being placed,

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

OTTO J. SCHLESINGER. 

